Communicating Genuineness, Allen-Style

Trust starts with authenticity. We trust another when we perceive his or her motives to be genuine or credible. And Steve Allen was always dramatically real! His assertive authenticity quickly calmed even the most uptight star-in-the-making. On one famous sketch on the forerunner of The Tonight Show, Allen got tickled at his own joke. The more he laughed, the more tickled he became. Instead of stopping to regain his composure, he simply let his honest giggle attack run rampant. It was unadulterated authenticity, expressed out loud. It counts among the funniest sketches in television history.

Although one of the most brilliant comedians in entertainment history, Allen always seemed awed by his capacity. He ...

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